16 July 2024 Leave a comment QA
As an inexperienced developer, you might find yourself in a debate about the definition and importance of testing in software development. It’s crucial to understand the difference between development activities and formal testing processes, especially when communicating with project managers and stakeholders.
What Constitutes Testing?
Testing is an experimental process that begins with a hypothesis, typically derived from a product specification. For example, you might hypothesize, “When I enter a valid username and password and click login, I should be directed to the dashboard.” The next step involves performing actions and collecting results to validate this hypothesis.
Here are the key elements of the testing process:
- Hypothesis: A statement based on the product specification.
- Experiment: Actions performed to test the hypothesis, such as running a Selenium test or manually clicking buttons.
- Observation: Collecting results to compare with the hypothesis.
If you lack a formal hypothesis and a structured comparison of observations, you are likely not conducting formal testing. Instead, you might be involved in development activities aimed at making the code work.
Development vs. Testing
A useful rule of thumb is:
- Development: Trying to make the code work.
- Testing: Trying to make the code break.
During development, you might run the code to ensure it functions as expected. However, this is not considered formal testing. Formal testing involves structured and repeatable methods to validate different aspects of the software, such as functionality, performance, and usability.
Types of Testing
Formal testing can be categorized into various types, each serving a specific purpose:
- Unit Testing: Verifying individual components or functions.
- Integration Testing: Ensuring that different components work together correctly.
- Performance Testing: Assessing the system’s performance under various conditions.
- Usability Testing: Evaluating the user experience.
Defining “Done”
A clear definition of “done” is essential to align expectations between developers and managers. This definition should include:
- The criteria for considering a feature or project complete.
- The level of testing required (e.g., smoke testing, functional testing).
- Documentation requirements, such as test results and observations.
Agreeing on a definition of “done” helps avoid miscommunication and ensures that all parties understand the quality and completeness of the software.
Conclusion
Understanding the distinction between development and testing is crucial for effective communication and successful project outcomes. While running code during development is necessary, it does not replace the need for formal testing to ensure software quality.
For teams looking to streamline their testing efforts, tools like Repeato can be invaluable. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool for iOS and Android, enabling you to create, run, and maintain automated tests quickly and efficiently. By leveraging computer vision and AI, Repeato simplifies the setup and execution of tests, ensuring that your software meets quality standards without extensive manual effort.
